Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic School October 14, 2020 Newsletter

Mission Statement: Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic School is a community that proclaims the gospel by our dedication to quality instruction while fostering our commitment to the needs of others.

An Update from Mr. Mihalyo Dear Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic School Families, This week, our school community experienced our first COVID-19 case. I recognize any time you hear of a positive test result, there is always reason for concern. I want to walk you through the steps our school took when we received this notification from a faculty member, as well as know what we are doing should this happen again at the school.  When I received the call from the employee, Mrs. Walsh and I spoke with the person to gather all information, as well as walk through the questions we are required to ask. We immediately notified Fr. Chris Koehn, as well as the Diocese of Raleigh. From there, we called the Wake County Department of Health to convey all information to them and receive further instructions from their medical personnel.  The recommendation was for the individual to isolate for the set period of time with no additional quarantining necessary. Following this conversation, all forms and documentation required by us as a school were faxed to the Wake County Health Department for their records and to complete a full contact tracing. It is my understanding this has been completed and anyone with possible direct exposure has been notified.  The question I have received several times is why is no additional quarantine necessary when a full class was quarantined for two weeks earlier in the year. There is a difference between the two scenarios. In the first, students were possibly exposed in a classroom with their masks off while eating lunch. As a result, the Wake County Health Department recommended this classroom be quarantined.  In this recent instance, the individual wore their mask at all times, maintained appropriate social distancing, and did not have contact with anyone for extended periods of time. The Wake County Health Department recommended no quarantining was necessary beyond the infected individual and that the individual isolate per the CDC guidelines. This is very different from the original recommendations set forth in July.  I recognize any time there is a positive test, the first question is whether your child has been exposed. Be assured as parents, ALL protocols from the Wake County Health Department were followed by our team, with ongoing communication with Fr. Chris Koehn and the Diocese of Raleigh. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.  While we cannot disclose personal information regarding the individual, members of our administrative team are happy to discuss our protocols at the school. Our parents and community have been proactive and positive in following the guidelines set forth by the school in our reopening. This partnership has allowed us to monitor and keep our school safe during the first nine weeks of school. I am very grateful for this partnership, and would ask you to continue to monitor your children for any potential COVID-19 symptoms.  Our COVID-19 Task Force has been working on what January 2021 will look like for our school community. Next week, parents will receive a form to complete indicating their preference for the second semester of the 2020-21 school year. Students may choose to remain in-person, remain as a distance learner, move to in-person, or move to distance learning. Forms will be due back in November. We will include updates to our Reopening Plan from July 2020 for parents to review and have an understanding of modifications to each option. If you have any questions after reviewing this information, please contact an administrator at the school. God Bless, John Mihalyo, Principal @StMMPrincipal

UPCOMING EVENTS Thursday, October 15th, Day 3 - IOWA Testing, School Mass 9:15am Click here to watch School Mass, (McElroy Homeroom Attends) Friday, October 16th, Day 4 - IOWA Testing, Early Dismissal 11:30am Monday, October 19th, Day 5 Tuesday, October 20th, Day 6 Wednesday, October 21st, Day 1 Thursday, October 22nd, Day 2 - School Mass 9:15am Friday, October 23rd, Day 3 - Spirit Day, Virtual Learning Materials Pick Up Friday, October 30th, Day 2 - Wear Fall Colors (orange, black; no costumes) Monday & Tuesday, November 2nd & 3rd - Parent Conferences (no school for students) Wednesday, November 4th - Teacher Work Day/Deep Cleaning Day (no school for students) Click here to view our online school calendar.

CARDINAL GIBBONS ADMISSION EVENTS Virtual Open House Series This year Cardinal Gibbons High School will host an Open House webinar series. Register to hear from educators and students about the Gibbons experience and how to become a Gibbons Crusader. The sessions began on October 13th and will take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30pm. An Open House livestream will be held on November 1st at 1:00pm. Visit www.cghsnc.org/openhouse to learn about the sessions and to register.    Campus Tours Cardinal Gibbons is also offering in-person tours for prospective students and families on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tours begin at 4:00pm and last 45 minutes. There will be a limit of 3 people per family and a total of 15 people per tour. Please visit www.cghsnc.org/admissions/visit for more information and to register.

CRISTO REY RESEARCH TRIANGLE HIGH SCHOOL VIRTUAL PARENT MEETINGS Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School offers students the opportunity at a Corporate Work Study Program as a means to help pay for their private high school tuition, while gaining valuable professional experience at businesses such as Cisco, Duke School of Nursing, CREE, UNC School of Medicine and BB&T. Two virtual parent information meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th and Thursday, October 22nd at 7:00pm. You can also find more information about Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School on their website, www.cristoreyrt.org or by clicking here.

NOW ACCEPTING 2021-22 APPLICATIONS Apply now for the 2021-22 school school year! Applications are available online by clicking here. Prospective three year old preschool parents, please note that our full day spots tend to fill up quickly. If you are interested in our program, you are encouraged to apply early. Children must be three years old by August 30, 2021 and potty trained to enter preschool. Current students DO NOT need to apply. Re-enrollment for our current students will begin in January 2021. Questions, please contact Lydia Binanay, 919-657-4800 x7296.

OCTOBER YEARBOOK PHOTO CONTEST The theme for October's photo contest is Action Shots! Send us photos of you and or your Monarch friends in action. How about an amazing football catch or dancing with your Monarch friends? Be creative and have fun! The best shots will be featured in the 2020/2021 yearbook and displayed on the school lobby television screen. Winners will be announced and prizes will be given out Thursday, October 22nd.   Make sure your student's name and grade is included with submission. Submit your photos via this Google Form or use the yearbook QR code.

And don't forget to take advantage of the lowest price of the year and order your StMM yearbook now. Visit http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01055247.

VIRTUAL MONARCHS Next Materials Pick Up is Friday, October 23rd Virtual Monarchs, your next virtual materials pick up day is Friday, October 23rd. Please come at the times designated for your grade level. Park in the back of the school building and use the back entrance near the gym/cafeteria. PK-2nd: 11:30am-12:00pm 3rd-4th: 12-12:30pm 5th-6th: 12:30-1:00pm 7th-8th: 1:00-1:30pm

LUNCH TO GO! Don't forget to order your lunch to go on materials pick up day! On the menu: small hamburgers or cheeseburgers, tater tots, pasta salad and, for your sweet tooth, funnel cakes! Be sure to email Heather Blake your order by 1:00pm Thursday, October 22nd. Tell her when you're coming and she'll have your order all ready for you!

FROM THE CAFETERIA LUNCH MENU Monday, October 19th - Noodles with Meatballs Tuesday, October 20th - Hot Dogs or Corn Dogs Wednesday, October 21st - Pizza Thursday, October 22nd - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Friday, October 23rd - Hamburgers or Cheeseburgers

New menu item! Starting next week the cafeteria will offer Loaded Tots daily! Just $3 gets you an entree size order with bacon, cheese and optional sour cream.

PSO NEWS VETERANS DAY PHOTOS NEEDED Honor the military veterans in your family this Veterans Day! Submit photos of your veterans to Magi Wilson to be included in the StMM Veterans Day slideshow. Photos can be either jpeg or pdf format. The deadline for submissions is Monday, November 2nd.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Thanks again to Angela Malfeo and the Teacher Appreciation Committee for arranging a take-out pizza dinner from Papa Murphy's for our faculty and staff last Friday. The PSO thanks our teachers and staff for all their hard work this year.

NOVEMBER USED UNIFORM SALE The next Used Uniform sale will be hosted by the PSO in the school lobby on Tuesday, November 10th from 5:00-6:00 pm. Please pay by check and wear a mask. We have pants, sweatshirts, and long-sleeved uniform options for the chilly days ahead.

SPIRIT DAY NEXT FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23rd Spirit Day is coming up on Friday, October 23rd! In addition to t-shirts, the online Spirit Store also has hoodies and long-sleeved t-shirts too. Maroon hoodies can be worn every day with the uniform - you don't have to wait for Spirit Day to show your Monarch pride! Visit the online Spirit Wear Shop by clicking here.

SHOW US YOUR FELINE FRIENDS Did you know Thursday, October 29th is National Cat Day? Share pictures of your Monarchs and their cuddly cats with us. We'll feature them on our social media on National Cat Day! Send your feline photos to Lydia Binanay.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SHRIMP BOIL Knights of Columbus Council 7186 is proud to host a Low Country Shrimp Boil at St. Mary Magdalene. Order now for take out on Friday, October 30th. Each Low Country Boil order will be filled with plump shrimp, sweet corn, smoky kielbasa, and tender potatoes – all with a custom seasoning blend.  Kids grilled cheese meals are also available. Of course, all orders come with dessert!  Proceeds go the LAMB Foundation, supporting individuals in our community with intellectual disabilities.  Order now for take out on Friday, October 30th at: KofCseafoodboil.com.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION Mr. John Mihalyo, Principal Mrs. Christa Iozzo, Assistant Principal Mrs. Kate Lawson, Dean of Students Mrs. Nikki Curliss, Guidance Counselor Mrs. Lydia Binanay, Marketing & Recruitment Mrs. Laura Tomczak, Communications & Admissions Mrs. Carmen Boyd, Business Services Mrs. Barb Senn, Preschool Mrs. Wendy Walsh, School Nurse Mrs. Megan Mastrogiovanni, Special Programs Manager Mrs. Mary Stein, Receptionist Mrs. Kathy Loeschorn, Technology Mr. Tom Milmoe, Athletics Director

Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic School www.stmm.net

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